Community Outreach

Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition

To encourage and promote the culinary expertise of young Chefs under the age of 27 (Competitors must be born on or after October 1, 1991 to be eligible) by exposing them to a competitive environment with their peers. This competition will offer the opportunity for the Jeunes Chef Rôtisseurs to showcase their talents and creativity in a fair, unbiased, and professional forum.

About the Competition

The first competition was organized in 1977 in Switzerland to support and promote future young chefs by giving them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills. Competitions are held at regional, national and international levels in countries around the world that have a strong Chaîne presence. The competition was started in 1990 in the United States and continues to grow every year. It has been featured on the TV Food Network and CNN. Our winner in the United States in 2011, Reilly Mehan, went on to win the International Young Chef Competition put on by the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. His culinary career and life have been changed forever as a result of this competition and his experience.

In the USA, competition begins at the regional level. Proprietors, managers, chefs and culinary instructors at Chaîne affiliated restaurants, hotels, culinary schools and Chaîne members within each of the ten regions of the Bailliage des Etats-Unis can propose candidates, who complete and submit application forms to a Regional Coordinator, the Conseiller Culinaire Provincial. Contestants are then selected from the group of applicants.

2018 National Culinary Weekend

Mark your calendars for May 17th, 18th, and 19th to witness the Young Chef Culinary and Pastry Competitions! Witness some of the country’s most talented up-and-coming culinary artists as they earn their spot in the International finals!

Congratulations to Our 2017 Winners!

Congratulations to Kevin Maier, our 2017 winner of the best Jeunes Chefs Competition. Congratulations also to second place finisher Lydia Ross of the Mid-Atlantic and in third place, Austin Kosater of the South Central Region. We also want to congratulate all of the young chefs that competed this year.

Maître Rôtisseur Gregory Baumgartner won our second annual National Pastry Competition. Congratulations to Gregory and all the other chefs that participated in this competition.

Each competitor is given an identical mystery “market basket” containing a few key ingredients, and is to design and prepare a three-course meal to serve four people using those ingredients—all in four hours’ time! Such is the challenge given young cooks competing in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition.

More Past Winners

Past Winners of the United States Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseur Competition:

2017 Kevin Maier

2016 Lyn Wells

2015 Matthew Phillips

2014 Geoffrey Lanez

2013 Daniel Scott Gorman

2012 Ryan Manaut

2011 Reilly Meehan

2010 Jason Curtis

2009 Varin Keokitvon

2008 Keriann von Raesfeld

2007 Adam Smith

2006 Bruce Shuman

2005 Matt Weber

2004 Brian Hubner

2003 Steven Roginski

2002 Scott Megargle

2001 Steyn Van Wyk

2000 Wes Hamilton

1999 Brian Bernstein

1998 Brian Gammon

1997 Paul Jensen, II

1996 David Mack

1995 Gus Brett

1992 James Cornwell, IV

Past Winners of the United States Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Pastry Competition:

2017 Gregory Baumgartner

2016 Susan Notter

Interested in Competing?

If you are interested in competing (and meet the eligibility requirements), contact the Bailli or an officer of the Chaîne Bailliage in your community or our National Office to indicate your interest.

2018 Competition Information and Downloads

Registration Materials, Manuals and Applications Available Online

The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

The world’s oldest international gastronomic society, founded in Paris in 1248. It is devoted to preserving the camaraderie and pleasures of the table and to promoting excellence in all areas of the hospitality arts. Each year the society sponsors young chef and sommelier competitions that attract contestants from throughout the world, while the Chaîne Foundation provides scholarships for students in these fields.